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Iron status of premenopausal women in two regions of Bangladesh: prevalence of deficiency in high and low socio-economic groups

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 55, pages 598–604 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective: The objective of the study was to assess iron status in women of different physiological staus of two socio-economic groups in Bangladesh.

Design: Cross sectional study, using 3-day food record and blood haemoglobin, serum iron, serum ferritin concentrations.

Setting: Two regions of Bangladesh. The Dhaka city area and west region of Nandail, Mymensingh.

Subjects: Women aged 16–40 y. The low socio-economic group (group L, n=101) consisted of rural women with precarious income levels. The high socio-economic group (group H, n=90) consisted of women with high income and educational levels. The groups were composed of three sub-groups (non-pregnant non-lactating=1, pregnant = 2 and lactating = 3).

Results: There was no significant difference between the corresponding sub-groups of the two socio-economic groups in dietary intake of iron. In all sub-groups, the intake of iron was much higher than the RDA level and mainly based on non-haem iron. Blood haemoglobin (B-Hb) concentration (P=0.000), serum iron concentration (P=0.005) and serum ferritin (SF) concentration (P=0.000) were affected by socio-economic status. Physiological status (PS) influenced the B-Hb concentration (P=0.000). Prevalence of anaemia ranged from 63 to 70% in group L and 27 to 66% in group H, respectively. The prevalence of empty iron store (SF concentration<12 µg/l) ranged from 35 to 59% in group L and 15 to 32% in group H, respectively. The prevalence of anaemia and iron deficiency (70 and 35% for sub-group L2; 66 and 32% for sub-group H2, respectively) were similar in the pregnant subjects of the two groups.

Conclusions: Subclinical iron deficiency was common in women of low socio-economic status. The pregnant subjects in the two groups was similar as regards iron status.

Sponsorship: The study was supported by the Academy of Finland, University of Helsinki and NorFa, Norway.

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2001) 55, 598--604

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Abu Ahmed Shamim, Nazrul Islam and Marika Hollmen for technical assistance. The authors sincerely wish to thank 191 volunteer subjects of Bangladesh who provided blood samples, all kinds of information required for this study and made this study possible. The authors are highly grateful to field workers and nurses who helped to motivate the subjects to parcipate in this study. The study was funded by the Academy of Finland and the University of Helsinki.

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Author notes

  1. MZ Islam and C Lamberg-Allardt: Guarantors: MZ Islam and C Lamberg-Allardt.

  2. MZ Islam, C Lamberg-Allardt, MAH Bhuyan and Q Salamatullah: Contributors: MZI and CL-A designed the study and are the guarantors for the integrity of the article as a whole. MZI was the principal investigator in this study. He managed the field study including data collection and blood sample collection and laboratory analyses. He prepared the first draft and final version of the manuscript as well as performed statistical data analyses together with CL-A. QS and MAHB provided proper guidance with expertise during field work of this study and extended laboratory facility to measure blood haemoglobin concentrations

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Nutrition, Department of Applied Chemistry and Microbiology, University of Helsinki, Finland

    MZ Islam & C Lamberg-Allardt

  2. Institute of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh

    MAH Bhuyan & Q Salamatullah

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  1. MZ Islam
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Correspondence to C Lamberg-Allardt.

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Islam, M., Lamberg-Allardt, C., Bhuyan, M. et al. Iron status of premenopausal women in two regions of Bangladesh: prevalence of deficiency in high and low socio-economic groups. Eur J Clin Nutr 55, 598–604 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601190

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